REDDITCH Borough Council tenants and leaseholders are being urged to help shape the future of council housing services, writes Taneesha Arora.
They are being encouraged to become community stakeholders by contributing to the design and delivery of the services and influencing decisions which directly affect their homes and neighbourhoods.
Tenants and leaseholders can get involved in many ways, such as participating in focus groups and consultations or engaging in service reviews.
The council will provide training and resources so residents can contribute effectively.
However, participation does not require attending formal meetings, as tenants can still help to co-design housing policies and services through flexible and accessible channels.
The council is also establishing a Tenant Scrutiny Panel to represent the views of the wider tenant community, have a say in how housing services are delivered and provide constructive feedback to help bring about improvements.
Those voicing their opinions through joining the Housing Improvement Board will be able to ensure sufficient progress is continuing in line with the Housing Improvement Plan.
Redditch Borough Council’s portfolio holder for housing, Coun Bill Hartnett, said: “We’ve identified gaps in how we engage with tenants and leaseholders through our recent regulatory judgement, and it is a key part of our Housing Improvement Plan going forward.”
He added the range of informal engagement opportunities were being finalised but would include a scrutiny panel, task and finish groups, project or estate-based events and individual focus groups.
“Getting involved will build a community that has a collective aim to see positive change in their borough.
“Sharing experiences and views on repairs, maintenance, and safety, will only help to improve service delivery.”
Coun Hartnett believes this is a big opportunity to have tenants’ and leaseholders’ voices heard for better contribution and involvement in the housing service.
The yearly ‘Tenant Satisfaction Measures Survey’ will once again be published in January to allow tenants and leaseholders to feedback and comment on the last 12 months of service.
Click here to view the survey.
